Читать книгу The Sea Shore - William S. Furneaux - Страница 10

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We do not propose dealing with this subject from the point of view of the angler, but rather that of the naturalist. The former is actuated principally, if not entirely, by the mere love of sport; or, it may be, to a great extent by the desire to obtain a supply of fish for food; and he generally estimates the success of his expeditions not by the number of species captured, but by the total weight of his catch, no regard being paid, as a rule, to the inedible specimens. The naturalist, however, does not desire weight, or sweetness of flesh. He works the greatest possible variety of habitats, with the object of determining the number of species inhabiting the locality and of learning as much as possible of their general form, habits, and adaptations of structure to habits. His success is measured by the number and variety of species caught, and he pays but little attention to superiority of size or weight, or to the estimated market value of his haul. The element of sport may enter more or less largely into the pleasure of his occupation, but the main end in view is to learn as much as possible of all the species obtainable.

Further, our remarks will not include the subject of the different kinds of fishing usually resorted to by sea anglers, but will be confined almost exclusively to the simple means of catching the common species that frequent the immediate neighbourhood of the shore.

If the reader will follow the general instructions given in Chapter II. on the outdoor work of the marine naturalist, he will undoubtedly make the acquaintance of a considerable variety of interesting species which may be captured in the rock pools, found under stones at low tide, or obtained by means of a small dredge; but his knowledge of our littoral fishes may be appreciably extended by the occasional employment of rod and line from rocks and piers, or from a small boat in close proximity to the shore.

The appliances required are of a very simple nature, and not at all costly. The long, heavy rod and strong tackle of the sea angler and professional fisherman are not at all essential to our purpose, for our work will be confined almost exclusively to shallow water, and the fish to be caught will be chiefly of small size. True it is that one may occasionally find his light tackle snapped and carried away by the unexpected run of a large fish, for cod and other large species often approach close to the shore, and bite at baits intended for the smaller fish that make their home among the partly submerged rocks of the coast; but such surprises will not frequently occur, and the young naturalist may learn all he wants to know of the fishes of our shallow waters with the aid of a light rod of about nine or ten feet and one or two light lines of no great length.

It must not be understood, however, that we assume the reader’s disinclination to know anything of the inhabitants of deep water, but rather that we consider the whole subject of deep-sea fishing quite beyond the scope of this work. It is a fact that quite a large number of species, the forms and habits of which are extremely interesting, live exclusively on deep bottoms. These should undoubtedly be studied by all who are interested in the various phases of marine life; but unless the reader is prepared to practise sea fishing in all its branches—to put his trust in the restless sea, supplied with all the necessary heavy gear, and to risk those internal qualms that arise from the incessant swaying of the boat on open waters, he should make arrangements with the professional deep-sea fisher—preferably a trawler—for the supply of those disreputable species that invariably form part of the haul, while the better-known food fishes can always be obtained from dealers for purposes of study.

On one occasion we had a rather unique and very successful interview with a friendly trawler. She was sailing slowly towards her station in a south-western fishing port, while two of her crew were clearing her nets, and throwing all refuse into the sea. We rowed behind her in order to see the nature of the rejected portion of the haul, and finding that it included specimens of interesting fishes of ill repute, dead but perfectly fresh, we followed her track, and collected a few for future examination. Presently our movements were watched from aboard, and we were invited to pull up to larboard, where a short explanation as to our wants led to the acquisition of quite a variety of deep-sea life, including several species of fishes not often seen on land, crabs, shelled and shell-less molluscs, worms, star-fishes, and various lowly organised beings, many alive and in good condition, together with several good food fishes thrown in by way of sympathy. There is no doubt that a naturalist can obtain much more deep-sea life with the aid of a friendly trawler than by any amount of ‘fishing’ with ordinary tackle from a boat; and this without the necessity of going to sea at all, if he will only take the opportunity of examining the nets as the boats are stranded on their return.

But now to return to our angling:—We have to provide a light rod, about ten feet long, with a winch, and a line of twisted silk or other thin but strong material; also a light hand line, and a supply of gut, leads, shot, and hooks, together with one or two small floats, and a few bait boxes.

We do not, as a rule, recommend the amateur angler to use both rod and hand line at the same time, for the attempt to do this leads to the neglect of both. In the end it is not likely to lead to any gain, so many fish being lost through the inability to strike at the moment a bite is given, and so much time having to be devoted to the baiting of hooks rather than to the direct management of the lines. In most cases the rod is much more convenient than the hand line. The young collector will meet with the greatest variety of species in rocky and weedy places, where abundant shelter exists for those fishes that prefer to keep well under cover, and any attempt with a hand line in such spots will certainly lead to frequent loss of hooks, and often of lead, line, and temper. Such a line must be reserved for fishing on sandy bottoms, while the ten-foot rod recommended will enable the angler to do good work in the rockiest parts without much danger of fouling; and, in fact, to fish anywhere along the coast.

The arrangement of hooks and lead must necessarily depend on the character of the place to be worked, but in all cases we strongly recommend no such multiplicity of hooks as is made use of by fishermen and others who fish for food. In their case the use of so many hooks often pays them well; but, as we have previously hinted, the naturalist does not desire quantity of fish so much as variety of species. Further, there is no necessity to make his work heavy and arduous. His desire is not to spend an undue proportion of his time in baiting hooks, but to have his line so under control that he is ready to strike at any moment, and to be able to alter the conditions of his work as often as his ideas or the conditions change.

In rugged and weedy places the hooks must be kept free from rocks and weeds. This may be done by letting down the rod line with a lead at the bottom, and one or two hooks fastened to gut at such a level as to keep quite clear of weeds. A much better arrangement, and one which we ourselves almost invariably employ, consists of a light lead, as a rule not exceeding an ounce in weight, fastened at the end of the line, and below it a few feet of gut terminating in a single hook. With such tackle it is of course necessary to determine previously the depth of the water, in order to adjust the line to such a length that the hook keeps clear of rocks and weeds, and a float may be used if desired.

Fig. 24.—Round Bend Hook with Flattened End

We do not recommend a float for the general work of the marine collector, for it is a decided advantage to be prepared to bring the bait to any level from bottom to surface, especially when the water is so clear that the fish may be seen swimming, in which case one is often impressed with the desire to capture a specimen in order to establish its identity, and for such work as this a float is superfluous. If, however, a float is used, it should be a sliding one, so that it may be adapted to the rising and falling of the tide.

Fig. 25.—Limerick Hook, eyed

Of hooks there is a great variety to choose from, differing in the form both of the curve and of the end of the shank. As to the curve, those with a decided twist are best adapted to our purpose, chiefly on account of the fact that sea fishes generally have larger mouths than fresh-water species of the same size, and are consequently better held with a twisted hook. The shanks of sea hooks are either flattened or eyed, and each is as good as the other providing the snood is firmly attached; but some amateurs find a greater difficulty in attaching the snood to the former than to the latter.

Gut snoods are recommended for our purpose, and fig. 26 shows one method by which they may be fastened to a flattened shank, while fig. 27 illustrates the figure-of-eight knot by means of which the eyed shank may be firmly secured. The gut should be soaked for some hours in cold water previous to tying, and it may be kept soft for some considerable time by giving it a few hours’ immersion in a solution of glycerine—about one part of glycerine to four or five parts of water.

Fig. 26.—Method of attaching Snood to Flattened Hook

Small hooks will be most suitable for our purpose; and if the reader finds any difficulty in attaching the snood firmly, he may purchase suitable hooks ready mounted on gut, though, of course, these are more expensive than the flattened or eyed hooks generally used for sea-fishing. Such small and fragile hooks may be occasionally snapped off by the run of a vigorous fish of moderate size, therefore it is advisable to have a supply of larger hooks, ready fixed on strong snoods, to be used when it is found that the shore is frequented by larger fishes than those generally caught close to land.

Fig. 27.—Method of attaching Snood to Eyed Hook

When fishing with a rod and line from rocks, or from piers, the foundations of which are covered with large weeds, the bait will frequently be carried by currents among the weeds and snapped off when endeavours are made to release the hook. This will especially be the case when the hook is a few feet below the lead, as we have already suggested it should be. To reduce the frequency of such mishaps, it will be a good plan to weight the gut below the lead by means of a few split shot. In fact, in sheltered places, where the water is not disturbed, these shot may take the place of the lead, but little weight being necessary for rod fishing in such localities.

The amateur sea angler is often in great doubt as to the best bait to use; and, believing that a certain kind of bait is absolutely necessary for his work in some particular spot, is often at a loss to obtain it. This bait difficulty is evidently a prevailing one among amateur sea fishers, if one may judge from the frequent questions asked as to the best or proper bait to use, and from the very common ‘Can you oblige me with a little bait?’ This latter question, we believe, is frequently the outcome of carelessness or laziness on the part of the asker. He has not the forethought, born of enthusiasm, that would lead him to procure a suitable bait, at a convenient time, previous to starting off on his angling expedition, but rather depends on the possibility of being able to beg or otherwise secure sufficient for his purpose at the time; yet there are so many good baits that are easily secured at the proper time and place that the enthusiastic angler need never be at a loss. Some of these may be collected by himself at low tide, others may be obtained from local fishermen, or from the tradesmen of the town or village.

Fig. 28.—The Lugworm

Some anglers seldom collect their own bait, either purchasing it or employing some one to collect it for them; but we are of opinion that the pleasure of a day’s fishing begins here, and especially so when the angler is of the naturalist type, for he will frequently learn more of the nature and habits of living creatures during one hour’s bait-collecting than during three or four hours’ angling. It is true that the work in question is often a bit laborious, particularly on a warm day, and that it may be frequently described as dirty and odorous; but what is that to one who is interested in his employment, and who derives pleasure in doing his own work? Fishermen often use lugworms for bait, and although these constitute one of the best baits for their own fishing, they are not so suitable for the purposes of the amateur angler, fishing with small hooks close to shore. They may be dug out of the sand when the tide is out, and are most abundant where the sand is mixed with mud. A spade should be used, and this should be thrust deep into the sand, selecting those spots where the holes or burrows of the worms most abound. Lugworms should be used whole; and being of large size, are suitable for baiting large hooks only. They may be kept alive in wet sand or sea-weed, preferably the latter for convenience, and stored till required in a wooden box.

Ragworms also afford good bait, and are particularly adapted for shore angling with small hooks. Almost all the fishes that frequent our shores take them readily, but they are not to be found in all localities. They are to be taken, though not usually in large numbers, on rocky shores where numerous stones lie among the somewhat muddy deposits of the more sheltered nooks, where they may be seen on turning over the stones. The best situation for ragworms, however, is the more or less odoriferous mud so frequently deposited in the estuaries of rivers and in landlocked harbours. Here they maybe dug out in enormous numbers with a spade, attention being directed to those spots where their burrows are most numerous. They are best stored with a little of the mud in a shallow wooden box provided with a sliding, perforated lid.

Fig. 29.—The Ragworm

Failing a supply of the marine worms just mentioned, the common earthworm may be used as a substitute, but it is decidedly less attractive to the fishes; and the same may be said of gentles—the larvæ or grubs of flies. The latter may be bred in large numbers by simply placing a piece of liver in the soil with only a small portion exposed. If this is done in the summer time, hundreds of eggs will soon be deposited on it, and in about a week or so it will be found to be a living mass of fat white grubs, perhaps more useful to the fresh-water angler than to his marine counterpart.

Among the so-called shell fish of the class mollusca, mussels, limpets, cockles, and whelks are all largely used for bait. The last of these are too large for our purpose, but form a splendid bait for deep-sea fishing, while the other three, and especially the mussels, are well suited for shore work. Mussels, in fact, provide one of the best possible baits for almost all kinds of shore fishing, the only drawback being the excessive softness of their bodies, which enables them to be easily torn from the hook. When small hooks are used, mussels of a small size may be used whole, or the larger ones may be divided into portions of suitable size; and in any case it will be found a good plan to tie the bait to the hook with a short piece of cotton thread.

Fig. 30.—Digging for Bait

Mussels are not easily opened without injury, and consequently some anglers give them a short immersion in hot water, to kill the animal and thus cause the shell to gape. As far as our own experience goes, the value of the bait is not deteriorated by this treatment, though some are of opinion that it is not so attractive after scalding. Mussels are opened, when alive, much in the same way as oysters, but the valves of the shell fit together so closely that it seems at first almost impossible to insert a knife between them. This, however, can be done with ease if one valve is first made to slide a little way over the other by pressing it with the thumb. This being accomplished, the two valves should not be separated by the mere force of the knife, for this would tear the animal within, and render it more or less unfit for its purpose; but first direct the edge of the knife towards the adductor muscle, by means of which the animal pulls its valves so firmly together, and then cut through this close to the inner surface of the upper valve. This valve can then be lifted without injury to the soft parts, and the whole animal removed from the other valve by cutting through the same muscle close to it.

Fig. 31.—Method of Opening a Mussel

Between the two lobes of the mantle—the soft covering on both sides of the animal that previously lined the shell—will be seen a brown, fleshy, tongue-like body. This is the ‘foot’ of the mussel. The point of the hook should first be run through this, and then from side to side through the mantle, and finally through the adductor muscle previously described. If this is carefully done, there will be little fear of the bait becoming detached unless it is subjected to rough usage, and still less if it is tied round the shank of the hook by means of a short piece of cotton thread.

It is probably superfluous to mention to the reader the fact that mussels are to be found on almost every rocky coast, where they may be seen attached to the rocks by means of a bunch of silky fibres called the byssus; and that, failing this, they are to be obtained from almost every fisherman and fish-dealer; if, however, these molluscs are not to be obtained, cockles may be used as a substitute, though it will probably be found that they are appreciably inferior, except when fishing for dabs and plaice on sandy shores, in which case they are highly satisfactory. Cockles abound on most sandy coasts, where they live a little below the surface; and are usually obtained by means of an ordinary garden rake. Sometimes we meet with them in large numbers in the estuaries of rivers, where they lie buried in the banks of mixed sand and mud that are left exposed at low tide.

Limpets are extensively used for bait in some places, especially by amateur anglers; and often with good results. They should always be removed from the rocks without injury, and this is no easy matter to those who do not know how to deal with them. If taken completely by surprise, one sharp, but light tap on the side of the conical shell will successfully detach them from their hold; or they may be raised by means of the blade of a strong pocket-knife that has been thrust beneath the cone.

For our work small limpets will prove far more satisfactory than large ones, and these may be used whole; but if the limpets are too large for the hooks employed, the soft, upper part of the body only need be used.

It is not an easy matter to remove fresh limpets from their shells without destroying this soft portion of the animal, but if placed for a minute or so in hot water they come out quite easily, and are apparently none the less attractive as bait. Some fishermen on the Cornish coast always collect the largest limpets for bait, remove them from their shells by means of hot water, and arrange them on the rocks to become partly dry. When required for bait, the soft parts only are used, but these, having been more or less hardened by the drying process, hold much better on the hook than when fresh.

And now, after mentioning the fact that land snails are occasionally used, though, we believe, with no very considerable success, for sea fishing, we will note a few baits derived from the higher head-footed molluscs—the squid, cuttle-fish, &c. There are several species of these peculiar molluscs, but the common squid and the common cuttle of our seas, and especially the former, is highly prized as bait. It may be obtained from fishermen, who frequently haul it in their nets; but if supplied alive and fresh from the sea it must be handled very cautiously, otherwise it may discharge the contents of its ink-bag over one with the most unpleasant results. It is certainly best used while fresh, though some suspend it until dry, and then store it for future use, in which case it will require soaking in water when required. The thin tentacles or arms are very convenient for baiting small hooks, though other parts of the body, cut into narrow strips, will serve the purpose of the angler equally well.

Of the crustaceans, shrimps and prawns, and various species of crabs are used as bait. Shrimps and prawns are used whole for catching flat-fish, but small pieces are better when fishing for smelt and other small species of fish that swim close to shore. Little pieces of the flesh of the crab are also well adapted for baiting hooks of small size, and will prove very attractive to almost all kinds of fish. Small crabs, however, may be used whole, but are of little use except when soft—that is, just after the shedding of their shells, and before the new skin has had time to harden. Such crabs may be found under stones and in other hiding-places at low tide, for at such times they keep well secluded from their numerous enemies by whom they are greedily devoured while in this helpless and unprotected condition.

The hermit-crab, which selects the empty shell of a whelk or winkle for its home, is probably well known to our readers. The protection afforded by such a home is absolutely necessary to its existence, since its abdomen has no other covering than a soft, membranous skin. This soft abdomen is frequently used as a bait with great success, as well as the flesh of the larger claws.

If the shell from which the hermit-crab is taken be broken, a worm, something of the nature of the common ragworm, will almost always be found, and this also is very serviceable as bait.

In addition to all the baits previously named there are several other good ones, many of which are to be obtained almost everywhere. Among these may be mentioned strips cut from the mackerel, herring, or pilchard, preferably with a portion of the silvery skin attached; also thin strips of tripe. Sand-eels, which may be dug out of the sand near the water’s edge, are very useful, and may be cut into pieces for baiting small hooks. Further, a large number of artificial baits are employed in various kinds of sea fishing, but as these are not essential for the work we have in hand we do not propose describing them in detail.

Now let us suppose that we are about to try our luck at sea angling, on some rocky coast, such as that of Devon and Cornwall, our object being to determine, as far as possible, what species of fishes frequent the immediate neighbourhood of the shore. And this is not all; for, when fishing with rod and line on such a coast, it frequently happens that we land some species of crab that has been attracted to our bait. The ordinary angler would regard such crab as an intruder, and, we are sorry to say, would often consider it his duty to crush the unfortunate crustacean beneath his foot. But it is far different with the naturalist. He favourably regards all creatures from which something may be learnt, and is as anxious, as a rule, to gather information concerning the habitats of one class as of another. In fact, we may go still further, and combine crab fishing with ordinary angling, both in one and the same expedition, by letting a small crab-pot down into deep water among the rocks, and allowing it to remain while the angling is proceeding.

We select a spot where there are several feet of water close to a perpendicular rock, varied and broken by numerous holes and crevices, in which various species of fishes and crustaceans habitually hide.

Such a situation is an ideal one for a young naturalist, for not only does he obtain the greatest variety of species here, but the takings will surely include some of those remarkably interesting rock-dwelling fishes that differ from our ordinary food fishes in so many points of structure, all of which, however, display some interesting adaptation to the habits and habitats of the species concerned.

Our apparatus consists of nothing more than rod and line, one or two small leads, a supply of hooks on gut snoods, a box of bait, and a waterproof bag in which to pack the specimens we desire to preserve.

We first determine the depth of the water by means of a lead on the end of the line, and then tie the hook on the end with a small lead a few feet above it, and fish in such a manner that the hook is just on the bottom, or, if the bottom is covered with weeds, the hook should be kept just clear of fouling them.

The peculiar rock fishes so common on such a coast as this on which we are engaged need special treatment at the hands of the angler. They hide in their holes, watching for the unwary creatures on which they feed, and, pouncing upon them suddenly, rush back to their snug little nooks in which they can secure themselves firmly by means of the sharp, hard spines with which their bodies are furnished. When these fishes seize the bait offered them—and they are not at all fastidious in the choice of their viands—they should be hooked and pulled up with one vigorous sweep of the rod, or they will dart into their homes, from which it is almost impossible to dislodge them.